NATIONAL VIDEO

Dragonboat USA has strong showing at championship

From staff reports

POSTED:August 27, 2010 9:00 p.m.

On the first day of the 2010 ICF Dragonboat World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, all of the U.S. National Dragonboat team’s boats in the senior division advanced to the finals with the exception of the 500-meter, 20-seat mixed division, which will run a semifinal today.

The senior division of Dragonboat USA includes Natalie Kean, Sheaffer Sorrells and Rich Stewart from Gainesville, along with masters division paddler Jim O’Dell, who is steering the senior 10-seat womens and mixed crews.

In the 200-meter, Kean, Sorrells and Stewart helped the 20-seat mixed crew and the 10-seat mixed crew power into the finals.

Stewart and Sorrells also paddled in the 10-seat mens race, finishing second in their heat.

In the masters division, the mens team is in medal contention with a third of three timed 500-meter event to be held today.

The 500-meter finals and the 200-meter semifinals will be held today, with the 200-meter and 2,000-meter finals to be held Sunday.